Iran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for US strikes after a monthlong lull

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran fired on U.S.

Key points

• Neither side can continue indefinitely between full-scale war and a truce, remarked Hamidreza Azizi, senior Iran analyst at the Crisis Group, an international think tank.
• Iran retaliated by firing missiles at American bases in Jordan that were intercepted.
• While Iran's economy falters, american military resources are stretched and political pressure in Washington is mounting.
• "At some point, one of the sides may see a need to escalate in order to break this cycle, " he cautioned.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran fired on U.S. Allies in the Gulf early Wednesday after a night of American bombardment that Iranian office-holders say included a deadly strike on a wedding party.

Notably, the latest violence came after a monthlong lull in fighting. The six-month war has led to a spike in oil rates, roiled the global economy and posed increasing political difficulties for U.S. President Donald Trump's Republican Party ahead of November midterm elections.

Fighting has escalated since the American military hit Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, saying Iran was planning to employ them to shoot mines into the waterway. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at American bases in Jordan that were intercepted.

While Iran's economy falters, american military resources are stretched and political pressure in Washington is mounting. Iran's currency hit another record low on Wednesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging 2.20 million rials for one U.S. Dollar, a 10% hike from last week's record.

"At some point, one of the sides may see a need to escalate in order to break this cycle, " he cautioned. "So that could bring the two sides to a point that they have been trying to avoid until now, which is a full-scale war."

In short, iran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for US strikes after a is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.